Posted on Friday, September 14th, 2018 at 8:39 am. Posted to Community.

The greatest threats to our area are wind damage and heavy rains that could lead to fallen trees that block roadways and take out power lines. If and when the storm hits, residents are asked to stay at home and off roadways to prevent being stranded on roads with high water or fallen trees. By sheltering at home, you will reduce the chances of needing emergency response by public safety officials and experiencing harm that may result from being stranded in flooded areas.

With a few days to get ready before the anticipated arrival of Florence (currently projected to hit the Midlands this weekend), you can take steps now to secure your residence and lessen storm damage.

1. Storm-Guard Your Home
Make sure gutters are cleaned out, reinforce caulking around windows and doors, check sump pumps and drains to avoid backups, protect attached structures such as carports, porches and decks, and move outdoor furnishings to indoor locations. Also check your roof flashing to make sure it’s secure.

You may also want to consider purchasing a back-up generator in case of power outages. Know how to turn off electricity and gas/propane. Top off fuel for generators and do a test run. Inspect your fire extinguishers and smoke detectors to insure they are working properly.

You may want to trim trees, especially ones with branches that could impact your house with high winds and heavy rains. Secure anything that could be blown into windows or damage vehicles.

Be sure to check with your insurance agent regarding your homeowners coverage and claims process in the event you have storm damage. Be wary of contractors looking to offer repairs. Check to make sure they have business licenses to operate in Chapin, are bonded and insured and ask for references to avoid be scammed.

2. Set-Up Emergency Prep Kit
You will want to make sure you have the following items in the event the storm causes you to lose power for an extended time:

A gallon of water per person per day is recommended. Don’t forget your pets need water, too. Non-perishable food for three days is also recommended. Buy bags of ice and store in coolers once power goes out. Make sure you have pet food and supplies, too.

Flash lights and batteries. You also want to keep your cell phones charged and may want to purchase a back up charger so you can stay in touch with family and friends and get safety alerts. A battery operated radio can also be useful in the event of a power outage.

Wet wipes and hand sanitizer can help ward off germs and be sure your first aid kit is stocked. You will want to make sure you have all your prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines available. If not, visit your pharmacy to refill supplies.

Be sure to have extra clothes that are comfortable and practical. A sturdy pair of shoes that can withstand damp conditions is helpful. And be sure to hit the ATM and get some extra cash for emergency purchases.

3. Stay Alert to News Media and Other Resources
If you have power, stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for the latest updates. The Town will post alerts on our website as power and internet service is available. Be sure to bookmark www.chapinsc.com so you can check for updates. Our Police Department and the Town’s Facebook pages will also push out updates.

We will notify you of closings at Town Hall, emergency shelter locations and hours, any boil water advisories, road closures and other pertinent emergency information.

In the event Town Hall is closed on Monday, September 17, we will update our website and facebook pages.

Your safety and well-being is our biggest concern so please take steps now to avoid having issues in the event Hurricane Florence hits our Chapin community.

Posted on Friday, September 14th, 2018 at 8:32 am. Posted to Community.

Leland Teal, the only candidate to file in the special election to fill a vacant Chapin Town Council, won election Tuesday with 13 of the 14 votes cast.

Teal previously served as a member of the Council from 1981 until 2014, and had served as mayor pro tem.

The seat was left open when former council member Preston Baines resigned in June.

Teal is a life-long resident of Chapin and a graduate of Chapin High School. He has been married to his wife Carol for over 39 years and the pair have two married daughters. They also have a number of grandchildren. He retired after 38-years of working for the State of South Carolina.

Teal’s entire family have been sports legends in Chapin their entire lives. His father and siblings have all been coaches in various sports both recreationally and professionally as teachers. Several Teals have even brought state championships home to Chapin.

Leland Teal himself went to Newberry College on a sports scholarship where he earned his degree. “Coach Teal” is a name that is well-known and could be regularly heard and associated with Teal’s father, his brothers Bart and Gene, or himself on fields, diamonds, and courts across the state.

Over the years, Teal coached girls’ fast pitch softball and American Legion baseball. He has also chaired the Chapin Labor Day Festival and has been a member of Mt. Horeb Lutheran church council.

A SKYWARN stormspotter class will be given at the Chapin American Legion Hall (post 193) which is located at 102 Lexington Ave. The class lasts about 2 hours and will start at 1900 on August 14, 2018. All interested parties are welcome to attend; there is no charge.

See https://www.weather.gov/cae/skywarn.html for background information. No pre-registration is required. Please send any questions to WD4NG@arrl.net.

This is hurricane season. What type of communications would be available to you if a storm similar to HUGO came through Chapin? Remember HUGO cut a swath of devastation through the Midlands to Charlotte that missed us by only 40 miles.

WHAT HAPPENS IF….

Imagine: “The electrical grid is down, commercial broadcasting (radio, TV, internet) are down, and may remain so for an extended period. Cell phone service will be unreliable. Many roads are blocked by fallen trees.”

A good resource is the National Weather Radio (NWR) it is an “All Hazards” radio network, making it a single source for comprehensive weather and other emergency information. In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts warnings and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as earthquakes or hurricanes), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages.)

Family Radio Service (FRS) radios are typically available as small handy talkies that are inexpensive. They are purposefully kept at short range (~ 1 mile) and low power. Chapin area residents are asked to monitor and send or relay messages on channel 7 for local information in the event of an emergency.

Citizen’s Band radio channel 9 is another potential resource to get local emergency information.

The Town of Chapin funded the establishment of an Emergency Communications Station (ECS) in the old Fire Station (now American Legion Post 193) at 102 Lexington Avenue. It was built by, is maintained by, and will be operated by, a local all volunteer group. The ECS has the ability to use all of the above radio channels as well as the Amateur Radio HF, UHF, and VHF frequencies, which provide longer distance communications. The Chief of Police is the town’s liaison with this group.

The Chapin Volunteer Emergency Team (CVET) operates the ECS and meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm at 102 Lexington Avenue; all interested parties are welcome to attend.

Notice is hereby given that a Special Election shall be held on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, for electing one (1) Council Member for an unexpired term.

Citizens desiring to be candidates for one of the above offices may file at the Lexington County Registration and Elections office located at 605 West Main St, Suite C, Lexington.

In order to qualify as a candidate for office and have his or her name placed on the ballot; one must be a resident of the Town of Chapin and be a qualified elector.

Filing fee for this office is $25.00. Checks or money order made payable to the Town of Chapin.

Books will be open for filing at noon June 29, 2018 and remain open during regular business hours. The Statement of Intention of Candidacy must be filed with the Lexington County Voter Registration, no later than 12:00 noon July 9, 2018.

The Statement of Economic Interest and Campaign disclosure forms must be filed on-line at http://ethics.sc.gov according to the Ethics Commission filing time line.

This is a nonpartisan election, and no party affiliation shall be placed on the ballot.

Town residents desiring to vote in the upcoming election must be registered by August 12, 2018. Application must be post marked no later than August 13, 2018. To register, update voter registration, or obtain information on absentee ballots, please contact the Lexington County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at 785-8361.

Polls shall open at the Chapin Town Hall, 157 NW Columbia Ave. on Election Day at 7:00 a.m. and remain open with no intermission or adjournment until 7:00 p.m.

At 9 a.m. on said Election Day, the County Election Commission will begin its examination of the absentee ballot return envelopes at 605 West Main Street, Suite 105, Lexington.

On Thursday, September 13, 2018, at 9:00 a.m., the Lexington County Board of Canvassers will hold a hearing to determine the validity of provisional ballots cast and to release the official election results. This hearing will be held at 605 West Main Street, Suite 105 Lexington.

The Town of Chapin has hired Nathan T. Powell of Columbia as its Director of Planning and Zoning, a position which has been vacant since the first of the year after the resignation of Chris Clauson. He begins his duties next Tuesday.

He was introduced to the members of the Chapin Planning Commission Tuesday, and is shown here being welcomed to Chapin by Mayor David Knight.

A native of Wheaton, IL, Powell is a graduate of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, and holds a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University.

He is an independent architecture and planning professional, and has been employed since December 2012 as an REO Specialist with the South Carolina State Housing Authority.

While working on his Masters Degree, Powell served in 2007 as a Research Aide in the Planning and Zoning Center at MSU. He completed a variety of assignments related to the evaluation of state and local land-use policy, regulation and development.

He participated in the development of the web-based Smart Growth Readiness Assessment Tool (SGRAT); a comprehensive toolkit that has enabled Michigan communities to analyze and improve policies, regulations and programs.

He was part of a seven-member team of urban planning students who developed the Grandwalk Trail Planning & Development Study for the cities of Grand Rapids and Walker, MI. The study proposed a pedestrian/bicycle trail through the urban “GrandWalk” community as one of many elements used to direct future physical development, environmental enhancement and business improvement in the area. The project was awarded the 2007 Outstanding Student Project Award by the Michigan Association of Planning.

He assisted the city of Pontiac, MI, in their 2007 Master Plan Update by assisting with facilitating community visioning sessions and the creation of an asset-based, economic development strategy to better position the city for the New Economy.

He compiled a statewide catalog of Michigan zoning ordinances concerning wind energy conservation systems in order to assess the state’s potential for energy production and economic development in this industry.

He conducted research identifying school location changes in Michigan over a 30-year period and distinguishing its relationship to broader land-use trends in the state.

He has also worked as a sales associate with the South Carolina State Museum.